DeMar DeRozan has long idolized Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant. He is now paying homage to Kobe and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, with a pair of WNBA-themed sneakers.
DeRozan is releasing a new version of the Nike Kobe 6, with a certain WNBA flair to honor Gigi. The colorway matches the rebranded, orange-and-white logo the WNBA instituted in the spring of 2019.
https://twitter.com/NBAKicks/status/1407201828643643418
This is an awesome way for DeRozan to pay respects to Kobe and Gigi while also bolstering support for the WNBA.
DeRozan has been on record numerous times about his admiration for the former Lakers great. From stories about sharing the floor with “Bean” to watching Bryant's final game with the Lakers, DeRozan's love for Kobe knows no bounds.
Things could really come full circle for DeRozan, a Compton native if he somehow found himself in Los Angeles.
Bobby Marks of ESPN suggested the possibility of the San Antonio Spurs and Lakers executing a sign-and-trade to bring DeRozan to Hollywood:
“For example, the Lakers could trade Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, an unprotected first-round pick in 2027 and the right to swap firsts to San Antonio for a signed-and-traded DeMar DeRozan,” Marks said, via Heavy.com.
However, Marks noted acquiring DeRozan–even in a sign-and-trade–could still present challenges for the Lakers if they hope to re-sign some key players and stay below the luxury tax threshold.
Then again, maybe Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka thinks DeRozan can be the third guy L.A. needs alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
It would be quite something if DeRozan were to follow in Bryant's footsteps in Los Angeles. In the meantime, he will honor Kobe and Gigi while empowering women's hoops with these sleek new kicks.